1. Field of the Invention:
This invention relates to electric lamps and has particular reference to an improved sealed-beam lamp unit of the type used on motor vehicles for illuminating the roadway.
2. Description of the Prior Art:
High intensity sealed-beam lamp units that employ a halogen-cycle type incandescent lamp as the light source are well known in the art. Such a lamp unit is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,553,519 and utilizes a ceramic support member that is slip-fitted into channels formed on the sealed end of the halogen lamp and is also coupled to a light shield. However, the halogen lamp is held in place by welding its lead wires to the stiff conductive leads that are attached to the reflector portion of the outer casing or housing. Various types of assemblies for holding a halogen-cycle type incandescent lamp in proper position with the reflector of a sealed-beam lamp unit using sheet-metal members that are slipped over the press seal of the halogen lamp or embedded therein are also known in the art. Such mount assemblies and techniques are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,848,120 issued to Wolfe et al., 3,909,607 issued to Vause et al. and 3,904,909 issued to Vause.
The use of sheet-metal holders or caps that are interlocked with the seal portion of a halogen-cycle lamp and are fastened to a support plate or a support wire to hold the lamp in the desired position within a sealed-beam unit are shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,963,916 and 3,904,904. In other types of sealed-beam headlamps illustrated in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,917,939 and 3,997,808, a halogen lamp is disposed in the desired position relative to the reflector component by cementing a sheet-metal or a ceramic holder to the press seal of the halogen lamp and then soldering or welding the lamp lead wires to the conductor portions of the lamp casing or housing.